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Do I Need An Air Permit?

Any source that releases a regulated air pollutant above specified levels into the air must obtain an air quality permit.

Contact the Maricopa County Air Quality Department Business Assistance Office at (602) 506-5102 to find out if you need
an air quality permit or for help in completing a permit application package. Any business, regardless of size, may contact this
number for technical guidance, permitting requirements, air toxics issues, maximum achievable control technology (MACT) rules,
reasonably available control technology (RACT) and best available control technology (BACT) requirements, operation and maintenance
(O&M) plans and other technical topics.

What is an air quality permit?

A permit is a written authorization to build, install and/or operate equipment that emits, or controls, the emissions of air contaminants such as:

Volatile Organic Compounds [VOCs]

Particulate Matter [PM10 or PM2.5]

Carbon Monoxide [CO]

Nitrogen Oxides [NOx]

Sulfur Oxides [SOx]

Does my business need an air permit?

Air permits are required for any source that releases an air contaminant into the air unless it is specifically exempt. Examples of sources and
operations needing air quality permits include boilers; incinerators; chemical processing, handling or storage; material (sand, gravel, etc.)
handling; abrasive blasting; industrial and commercial coating or painting; stationary engines solvent cleaning; dry cleaning; petroleum storage.

What is an air contaminant source?

An air contaminant source is anything that emits an air pollutant. While this covers many different types of activities, four rules of thumb can
often help in identifying an air contaminant source:

Something that has a stack, dust collector or vent. Examples include woodworking operations, grinders and storage tanks.

Some businesses that typically require air permits include:

Asphalt plants

Auto body shops

Crematories

Dry cleaners

Foundries

Gas stations

Grain elevators

Furniture manufacturing

Metal finishing/plating

Plastics manufacturing

Printing/graphic arts

Sand and gravel plants

Types of Permits:

There are various categories for air quality permits including:

Title V (major sources)

Non-Title V (minor sources)

General permit

Earthmoving (Rule 310)

Open burn permit

Title V permits
Title V of the federal Clean Air Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a national, operating permit program for major sources of
emissions across the country. EPA allows states and local permitting authorities, such as the Air Quality Department, to operate a federally enforceable permitting program.
The department issues Title V permits to facilities that emit significant amounts of air pollutants. For all implementing agencies in the country, there are standard
requirements for permit programs and permit content.

Synthetic Minor
The department's Non-Title V permitting program issues Synthetic Minor permits for sources with actual emissions of at least 50% of the major source emissions thresholds. The
permits include conditions that regulate source specific emission limits, monitoring, operational requirements, recordkeeping and reporting.

General permits
The General Permit program offers an alternative to regular permits and simplifies the process for authorizing operation. A source must first qualify for a General Permit before
an Authority to Operate is issued for the following types of sources:

Dust Control Permit
The department issues Earthmoving, or Dust Control, permits when earthmoving operations disturb an area greater than one tenth of an acre of land (4,356 square feet). Earthmoving operations are defined as the use of any equipment for an activity that may generate fugitive dust. Some examples include blasting, cutting and filling, demolishing, drilling, excavating, grading, leveling, trenching or weed abatement by discing or blading.

Open burn permits
The department regulates all open outdoor fires. The purpose of this program is to limit the emissions of air contaminants that are produced from open burning.

How do I get my permit?

Determine if a permit is required.

Obtain an application either from the department in person or via the website: www.maricopa.gov/aq.

Bring or mail the completed application to the department’s One Stop Shop along with a non-refundable filing fee. Find the
application fee amount for the permit in Maricopa County Rule 280. View on-line at: www.maricopa.gov/aq.
If the application is submitted as a result of receiving a notice of violation (NOV) an additional $100.00 late fee will be charged.

The permit application will be reviewed for compliance with applicable air quality rules and regulations. The application will be processed
and a permit will be issued. Air permits will usually include emission limits, monitoring, record keeping, and reporting requirements. Once
you get the permit(s), it is very important that you read and understand the terms and conditions.